you would prove Election to be the cause of Faith unto all which I shall speak joyntly and make the shame of them appear to all men that read them And herein I must be diametrially opposed against you because you bring in such a Hysteron Proteron the Cart before the Horse that I must of necessity invert your order or rather disorder And therefore I do affirm that Election is not the cause of faith and good works but faith and good works the cause of our Election or Gods chusing of us 1. I prove it by Scripture 2. I prove it from the nature of causes 3. From the Nature of Election 1. From Scripture I will onely refer you to consult these places hereafter named Act. 13.48 Joh. 1.12 Psa. 4.3 Joh. 16.27 Rev. 3.10 2. From the Nature of causes I will observe this rule if Election on should be a cause of faith and such a cause as cannot be resisted as you hold then Reprobation must be a cause of sin and damnation and so God blessed for ever will be made not onely a tempter to but a cause yea the cause of all sin and wickedness in the world But let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God as our Modern Ranters are wont to do for every man when he is tempted is drawn away of his own lusts and inticed I dare not say as one did that had been a great sinner Quid si haec quispiam voluit Deus What if some God hath so decreed it For St. James makes me believe that sin is both ingendered and conceived within me when my lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and if my lust be the mother of it sure the father is my own will It was Davids saying of wicked Israel That they provoked God to anger not with his will but with their own inventions There are contrivers of mischief Psal. 58.2 Devisers of lyes Eccles. 7.13 which cannot be imputed unto any absolute decree in God O how many Volumes have been written concerning irrespective decrees in the Latin tongue which might even blush to be named in English and shall we yet in these daies of light ascribe sin and wickedness to God as your opinion doth I am in such disorder and discomposedness of spirit while I only but name these bold expressions that were it not for a good purpose as I conjecture and intend I durst not venture to repeat them O Lord righteousness belongeth unto thee but unto us confusion of face for thou hast made man upright but we have found out many inventions Eccless 7.29 Next I will come to Reason by which I hope to make it appear that the Almighty is so far from being accessary to sin and does so many things to hinder it that he doth not so much as permit it but in a equitable sence and amongst many Reasons that may be given I will content my self with this one which seems to me the best That which assigns to every thing the kinde that which moderates the power and appoints the form and measure of working that we properly call a Law Hence the being of God is a kinde of Law to his working because that perfection which God is giveth perfection to that he doth So that he being nothing but what is good he can work nothing that is otherwise It is therefore an errour saith judicious Mr. Hooker to think that there is no reason for the works of God besides his absolute will though no reason is known to us for the Apostle tells he worketh all things not simply and meerly according to his will but {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} according to the counsel of his will And because he doth voluntarily set himself a Law whereby to work it followes that that Law is no abatement to his freedome if therefore he be pleased to set himself a Law or Rule not to reprobate any but upon pre-science or fore-knowledge of sin because that is most conformable to the nature of his goodness can this be any prejudice to the perfection of his being is his nature the less absolute because it pleases him that his will be conditional in some things as it is absolute in others does he lose any prerogative by being unable to be the Author of sin We are Gods creatures but sin is ours God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good We see the things that are made by the fiat of our will and behold they are very evil This creative power of ours we justly reckon as the sequel of humane weakness and shall we heedlesly affirme it to be a jewel in the glorious diadem of Gods Almightiness Let this be seriously considered Thirdly I shall prove it from the Nature of the thing that Election is not the cause of faith and good works c. but contrary faith and good works of Election This shall be proved and illustrated by these five considerations First of all I consider that there is no salvation but onely to such as are found to be in Christ Jesus in the day of death and of Judgement which no man living can be unless he be qualified with such conditions as without which it is impossible to be so found such as are faith repentance obedience and perseverance in well doing unto the end that God will save none but such is all mens confession and that he saves none but such as he decrees to save is as plain therefore none but such are the objects of such decrees For if he decreed to save any without respect to their being such he might actually save them without regard to their being such Because whatsoever is justly decreed may be justly executed as 't is decreed But 't is granted by all good men on all sides that God will save none but such as are found to be in Christ with the aforesaid qualifications and therefore it should be granted on all sides also that he decreed to save none but such persons as they And what is that but a respective conditional decree made in intuition of our being in Christ and so qualified c. Secondly I consider that the decree of the Father to send his Son to be a second Adam was in respect and regard to the back-sliding of the first Adam and the decree of God to save the first Adam was in respect to the merits of the second Adam for God chuseth never a child so as to give him eternal life unless it be for the sake of his onely begotten Son 1. God pitied a woful world 2. He loved what he pitied 3. He gave his own Son to save what he loved and upon the condition of believing in his Son he gave them a promise of eternal life For so believing is interposed betwixt love and life in Joh. 3.16 Thirdly I consider There must be a difference before there can be an Election LOVE indeed is an act of favour but ELECTION
Sound Doctrine OR The Doctrine of the GOSPEL about the extent of the Death Of CHRIST Being A REPLY To Mr. Paul Hobson's pretended Answer to the Author's Fourteen Queries and ten Absurdities With A brief and Methodical COMPENDIUM of the Doctrine of the Holy Scriptures clearing up the riches of Gods love to all mankinde and his desires to save them that yet wilfully perish Also Of ELECTION and REPROBATION whereon they do depend and how the Objections against the Truth hereof may be Answered Whereunto is added The fourteen Queries and ten Absurdities pretended to be Answered by Mr. Paul Hobson but are wholly omitted in his Book LONDON Printed for Richard Moon at the seven Stars in Paul's Church-yard 1657. To the Church of Christ at NEWCASTLE in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ THe grace of our Lord be multiplied upon you all and strengthen you in every good word and work You may remember that one Mr. Paul Hobson who professeth and preaches up that faith which teaches a man to doubt whether Christ died for him or no did write a little book by way of Answer to the fourteen Queries and ten Absurdities which I presented unto him Which book I thought I was bound to answer for the sake of truth because he doth labour by so many subtilties to overthrow the very foundation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ And indeed had there not been an urgent necessity compelling me thereto I should not have undertaken such a task being I confess very unable to manage so great a work in such a publick manner which I have done though according to truth and my best endeavours yet not without some fears lest my weakness should disadvantage the righteous and undoubted cause I have in hand I had also another discouragement upon my spirit when I considered how many most excellent works are now in Print already about this subject so far transcending what I could say Notwithstanding I was perswaded to adventure upon this consideration That if I should have buried all in silence many of the Lords people might have stumbled and fallen from the truth of the Gospel and the adversaries thereof would have triumphed and so have hardned their necks more and more against the light of the glory of God shining forth to all the world in the face of Jesus Christ I desire you dear Brethren to accept this my small and first work of this nature in right good part and seriously peruse it over with an attentive eye I have endeavoured as much brevity as would stand with plainness If any thing at first reading seem-strange to you read it over again I have not willingly erred in any thing in this work that I know of I desire you to shroud this little Tract under your protection for it is not like to be the safer for being innocent I mean i' th' world it was not the modesty of Susanna that was able to secure her from the inditement of the Elders and 't was the innocency of Joseph that made his Mistriss pronounce him guilty But ye unto whom God hath given a spirit of discerning between truth and errour I trust will defend this little book because it labours to deffend the truth I pray God of heaven to encrease in you all vertuous and sound Principles that from thence may spring and also encrease a holy and Godly conversation more and more until we come to be perfect before our God in Sion This is the earnest request of Yours in the Lord Jesus W.P. To the Reader Courteous READER DAyly experience makes me sensible that the Devil never wanted cunning inventions to court men to the imbracing of false Doctrine and most commonly such false Doctrine whose natural tendency is to carry on the great design of Satan in the world to wit ungodliness and unholiness of life and conversation For he always labours to counter-plot the Alnighty in all his designs We may observe throughout the whole stream of Gods word Gods great design is to destroy the works of the devil that is sin and to make men holy to the end that he might make them happy Now Satan that arch-enemy of mankind be seeketh above all things to hinder this work for by hindring righteousness he knows he shall hinder the happiness of Gods creatures and because he well perceives that Gods design is to promote the work of righteousness in all people that so he might make all happy Satan there projecteth alwayes to counter-plot God labouring to promote sin in all that so he might promote the misery of all men So large as Gods love extendeth in endeavouring to save even so far also doth the envy of the Devil extend in his endeavors to damne And for as much as God hath tied himself that he will not work Physically upon man nor irresistibly but by gentle perswasions upon hopes of glory and feares of punishment and the devil hath not power to work otherwise then by alurements and promises and threatnings which he is not able to perform I say because God will not and the devil cannot work upon man otherwise then by perswasions therefore it comes to passe that all men are neither saved nor damned but onely those saved that are willing to let the Lord work on them and also are willing to work with him in purifying and cleansing themselves from sin and onely those damned that refusing Gods work do yield themselves to the working and works of Satan Now these things though they are most plain truth and do sure right well with good reason justice and equity yet they are much opposed by too many in our dayes whose â—eal is too great for their knowledge I desire thee most Kinde Reader to read this little Book seriously and weigh it 〈…〉 the balance of Truth and sound Reason and see wheâ—◠〈◊〉 I have not spoken to thy reason and search those Scripâ—â—â—â—â— which I have quoted if they be not to the purpose in 〈◊〉 and whether my design be not to magnifie the amplitude of Gods grace to sinners by which they are undoubtedly excited to amendment of life upon a sure and certain hope of glory and not upon any uncertain sound of the Gospel As they do that limit the general promises of the Gospel unto a few onely and without condition making an unknown and secret decree of Election to be the ground of their faith and so 't is no marvel if their faith be unstedfast and full of fears and doubts when the foundation of it is no better But I will detain thee no longer from the book itself lest I should make my Porch too big for the Cottage to which it leadeth But I commit thee to the guidance of God in the reading hereof that thou mayst not onely be brought to the acknowledging of those truths herein contained but also and chiefly that thou mayest in the power and and strength thereof live according to that grace of God which bringeth his
be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ See also 1 Thess. 2.19 Act. 3.19 But unto all this 't is very like you will reply He hath taken Sin away already for the Elect and wholly blotted it out for these Reasons as some of you call them 1. Because he was ordained to take away sin 2. Because he is mighty to save 3. Because he took flesh upon him for this purpose 4. Because 't is Gods will that by blood-shedding he should sanctifie his I answer that though these are all truths yet they are not Reasons to the matter in hand for with what Reason will it appear that we are saved already because he is mighty to save or that sin is already done away because he came to take it away or that his people were perfectly sanctified as soon as ever his blood was spilt because that 't was Gods will his blood should sanctifie or that his people were spotless just when he died because he died that he might do it Reason tells me that things are not done while they are in doing Do you not know that presenting is after washing and washing after blood spilling Eph. 5.25 and is not his blood after 't is spilt sprinkled in our hearts to cleanse Heb. 10.22.1 Pet. 1.2 The blood of Christ which through the eternal Spirit hath been offered shall purge your consciences from dead works Heb. 9.14 his blood that is already spilt is still the blood of sprinkling which doth speak for us better things then the blood of Abel Heb. 12.24 I would fain know what Gospel your principle will admit to be preach'd to unbelievers since the death of Christ with what Reason can you say Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and ye shall be saved to such as saved are already or to say Repent that your sins may be blotted out Act. 3.19 to such whose sins are already blotted out or never shall be for say you The sins of the reprobate never shall but the sins of the Elect are already Also what reproof or dehortation against sin can you since the death of Christ give to those whose sins were utterly destroyed and done away at Christs death can they be took away and remain too no no this is against Reason when God hath compleatly cleansed his people they shall defile themselves no more at all See Ezek. 37.23 If yet any should stumble at this place We have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of Sins I answer I have already showen that we have it already in a promise and so we have it by faith but we have it not in accomplishment yet we yet walk by faith and not by sight 2 Cor. 5.7 But some of you yet further object That God hath promised his work should prosper Isa. 42 1â—4 55.11 I answer his work shall certainly prosper he hath purchased what he was to purchase and will accomplish what he is to accomplish but if the time when he died were the time not onely to purchase but also to effect an utter destruction to sin as you hold then his work hath not prospered for neither my sins nor yours are utterly destroyed as yet and truly if our sins should not be otherwise washt away then yet they are we should be in a sad condition and if Christ hath presented us before God already then hath he presented us faulty not faultless for if we say as yet That we have no sin we lie and truth is not in us 1 Joh. 1.8 There are Objections yet innumerable which I let pass onely answering one more somewhat material Object Christ would not answer the type if he did not quite take away sin For as Adam brought all in him under sin and condemnation So Christ hath made all in him righteous Rom. 5.12 So the priests are said To make atonement for the people and to cleanse them from all their sins before the Lord Levit. 16.30 So Christ hath presented all his without spot also So the peoples transgressions were lay'd on the Scape-goats head who carried them away Answ. First as none finned in Adam before they were in Adam so none are righteous before they are in Christ Likewise as we are in Adam by the first so are we in Christ by the second birth our first being in Christ is by faith See Phil. 3.8 9. Secondly we are in Adam before we are in Christ and so are sinners before we are righteous we cannot be cleansed till we are first unclean That is not first which is Spiritual but that which is Natural and afterwards that which is Spiritual 1 Cor. 15. But if men should be in Christ by Election before time as you weakly that I say not wickedly affirm then St. Paul had been in Christ as soon as any other but he directly saith that Andronicus and Junia his kinsmen were in Christ before him Rom. 16.7 To the second Type I Reply that the atonement was before cleansing for saith the place plainly The Priest shall make atonement for you to cleanse you that you may be clean from all your sins before the Lord Levit. 16.30 And not onely here but everywhere in the Law it will appear that first sin was committed Secondly Blood was spilt Thirdly sprinkled on the Sinner Fourthly after all this with other circumstances the parties were clean So likewise 1. We are sinners 2. Christs blood is spilt for an atonement 3. By faith 't is sprinkled on our hearts 4. After all this we are cleansed To the third Type I Reply That the peoples sins were lay'd on the scape-goats head after the slain-goat was slain and he carried them away after they were layed on his head apply this But I fear I have made too long digression and yet I thought it needful and so much shall serve for your four particulars now to the fifth 5. That faith which is required of all them that enjoy him is not a cause but an effect of Election This you say you will prove three wayes 1. from Scripture 2. From the nature of causes 3. From the nature of the thing First for your Argument Act. 13.48 I have already turned the point of it against your own brest And for the other places they prove no more but that God loves man before he loves God but they do not prove that God doth not love him more after he loves God then before I grant he loves all men first before they love him but when they love him again then he loves them with a greater love with a love of Election as shall be more fully manifested afterwards Secondly from the nature of causes your Argument is such a medly-mess of nonsence that I know not what to make on 't which you begin with a direct untruth in saying That you see I have drawn my Absurdities out of Hen. Haggars book when as I never saw it so I never heard of it till I read yours Thirdly from the nature of the thing Election